HomeMy WebLinkAbout2001_01 Interview and Selection Procedures 0314252000.01 INTERVIEW AND SELECTION
PROCEDURES
Implemented: June 1, 2017 Revised: 090918; 032923, 031425 Next Review: January, 2030
1
This procedure is for internal use only and does not enlarge an employee’s civil liability in any way. The procedure
should not be construed as creating a higher duty of care, in an evidentiary sense, with respect to third party civil
claims against employees. A violation of this procedure, if proven, can only form the basis of a complaint by this
department for non-judicial administrative action in accordance with the laws governing employee discipline.
Related Policies: HFD Suitability Guidelines;
DHR Related Forms: DHR RE-544 Request to Fill Form; DHR-RE-711 Desired Skill Set Form; DHR-RE-500 Pre-
employment Written Reference Check; DHR-RE-501 Personal Reference Telephone Check; DHR-RE-502 Pre-
employment Telephone Reference Check; DHR-RE-548 Authorization to Release Personnel Information; DHR-RE-
569 Post-Job Offer Affirmation Regarding Performance of Duties; DHR-RE-703 Interview Panelist Duties and
Responsibilities Acknowledgement Form
Applicable HI Statutes: none Hawai’i Revised Statutes, Chapter 76
I. REFERENCES
Hawai’i Revised Statutes, Chapter 76; Rules of the Department of Human Resources,
Rules of the Director, Chapter 3.
II. PURPOSE
To establish a uniform method of interviewing and selecting applicants for civil service
positions in the Hawai’i Fire Department in conformance with the merit principle and
applicable statutes, rules, policies and procedures, and collective bargaining agreements.
III. POLICY
The Department shall fill its civil service positions with the most suitable applicants
available for the positions based on the merit principle and utilize lawful, fair, and
uniformly administered procedures.
Selections for positions shall be impartial and based on the needs of the Department, free
from coercive political influences, as well as applicants’ fitness and ability for public
employment.
IV. APPLICABILITY
These procedures shall apply for appointments to civil service positions that are subject
to the County’s position classification plan, in accordance with Chapter 76, Hawai’i
Revised Statutes, as amended.
2000.01 INTERVIEW AND SELECTION
PROCEDURES
Implemented: June 1, 2017 Revised: 090918; 032923, 031425 Next Review: January, 2030
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V. DEFINITIONS
x Assessment center: A component of the evaluation process for candidates on the
eligible list involving simulations, exercises, and tasks that demonstrate the
candidates' skills and competencies in various job-related scenarios to produce a
ranked list of candidates.
x Assessment period: The time period from approximately January to June where all
recruitments and assessment center evaluations will be conducted to produce ranked
lists for hiring and promotions.
x Hiring and promotion cycle: The 18-month overlapping cycle of recruitment, list
creation and assessment center evaluations to produce ranked lists to be used during
the promotional period. (*See Appendix 1)
x Inter-departmental demotion: A transfer of an employee to a lower-ranked position in
another department within the County of Hawaii.
x Inter-departmental transfer: The movement of an employee from one department to
another within the County of Hawaii.
x Inter-governmental movement: The movement of a permanent civil service employee
from other state and county jurisdictions in the State of Hawai‘i, to a civil service
position in the County, without having to compete with other individuals in an
examination process.
x Internal recruitment within the County of Hawaiҵi: Civil service employees within
any Department in the County are eligible to apply for an internal recruitment within
the County.
x Internal recruitment within the department: Civil service employees within the
Department are eligible to apply for an internal recruitment within the department.
x Intra-departmental demotion: A transfer of an employee to a lower-ranked position
within the same department.
x Intra-departmental transfer: The movement of an employee from one position to
another within the same department.
2000.01 INTERVIEW AND SELECTION
PROCEDURES
Implemented: June 1, 2017 Revised: 090918; 032923, 031425 Next Review: January, 2030
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x Lists:
o Eligible List: A list of persons who have been qualified for appointment to a
position in a particular class through the civil service recruitment process.
o Ranked List: A list of persons from an eligible list that have completed
assessment center evaluation and been ranked by overall performance as
determined by the promotional or hiring process. Ranked lists are released on
July 1st of each year and are effective for one year, June 30th of the following
year. Ranked lists shall not be extended beyond June 30th..
o Referred List (uniformed positions): A list of persons that have applied for a
position that need to be screened prior to being placed on an eligible list.
o Referred List (non-uniformed positions): A list of persons on an eligible list
that is referred to the department for employment consideration.
x Open-competitive recruitment: Is a recruitment whereby everyone, including the
public and County employees, may apply.
x Performance assessment exercise (PAE): Physical tests performed to test candidates’
physical abilities.
x Position description: Is an official written statement of the major duties and
responsibilities assigned to the position by the appointing authority, the
organizational relationships, the knowledge, skills and abilities required of the
position, and other pertinent information.
x Promotional period: The time period from July 1st to June 30th where a specific set of
ranked lists are active. A promotional period may be initiated prior to January if the
ranked list for a position is exhausted and no candidates remain to promote.
x Re-employment list: Is a list of eligible candidates comprised of former and/or current
civil service employees who meets requirements or conditions for placement on the a
list.
VI. PROCESS
A. Method
The Fire Chief or designee shall coordinate recruitment(s) for current and/or
anticipated vacancies with the Department of Human Resources.
2000.01 INTERVIEW AND SELECTION
PROCEDURES
Implemented: June 1, 2017 Revised: 090918; 032923, 031425 Next Review: January, 2030
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The Fire Chief or designee shall select from any of the following options to fill a
vacancy (provided there is no County priority job placement):
x Intra-departmental transfer;
x Intra-departmental demotion;
x Internal recruitment with the department;
x Inter-departmental transfer;
x Inter-departmental demotion;
x Internal recruitment within the County of Hawai’i;
x Inter-governmental movement;
x Re-employment list;
x Open-competitive recruitment;
x Any other means provided for by statute, the Department of Human Resources
Administrative Rules or Procedures.
The Fire Chief or designee shall develop the desired skill set for the position in
relation to the up-to-date position description and class specification.
The Fire Chief or designee shall complete and submit the Request to Fill Vacant
Position Form, DHR-RE-544, and Desired Skill Set Form DHR-RE-722 to the
Department of Human Resources to obtain the Managing Director’s approval.
Upon approval by the Managing Director, the Fire Chief or designee shall proceed
with the process for filling the position.
A recruitment announcement will be prepared and recruitment will be conducted by
the Department of Human Resources. The recruitment period shall be ten (10)
calendar days. Applications must be electronically submitted by 11:59 p.m. Hawai‘i
Standard Time (HST) on the closing date. The Fire Chief may extend the period for
receipt of applications for good cause with the Director of Human Resources’
approval. Late applications may be accepted for good reason as determined by the
Fire Chief with the Director of Human Resources’ approval. The Department of
Human Resources may cancel a recruitment or scheduled testing at the request of the
Fire Chief. In such event, all applicants shall be notified of the cancellation by the
Department of Human Resources. The Director of Human Resources may cancel a
recruitment at any time. In such event, all applicants shall be notified of the
cancellation by the Department of Human Resources. All verifying information
(certificates, licenses, official college transcript, etc.) shall be submitted with the
application.
2000.01 INTERVIEW AND SELECTION
PROCEDURES
Implemented: June 1, 2017 Revised: 090918; 032923, 031425 Next Review: January, 2030
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An assessment center evaluation shall be included as part of the selection process.
The Fire Chief or designee may develop lawful criteria and weights for the selection
process in relation to the essential job duties identified on the position description to
include any combination of the following: oral interview, performance test(s),
assessment exercises(s), driving exercise(s), personnel management exercise(s),
employment reference checks, and as applicable to the position: criminal background
check, drug screening, and pre-entry medical examination.
1. Internal recruitments for promotions (uniformed positions)
After the recruitment period ends a referred list shall be generated by the
Department of Human Resources. This list shall be sent to the Hawai‘i Fire
Department’s Human Resources Program Specialist/Human Resources Specialist
II/I or Human Resources Technician I, who shall review all applications to
determine if applicants are eligible for the internal recruitment and if they meet
the minimum qualifications for the vacant position. For positions that do not
require a written examination, eligible applicants will be placed on the eligible
list. Applicants who are not eligible and who do not meet the minimum
qualifications of the position shall be deemed “not qualified” and shall be
excluded from testing and further consideration for the recruitment.
Applicants who are deemed “not qualified” shall be allowed seven (7) calendar
days to submit additional verification information to meet qualification
requirements. It shall be the responsibility of the Hawai‘i Fire Department’s
Human Resources Program Specialist/Human Resources Specialist II/I to inform
affected applicants that they are “not qualified,” the reason(s) for that
determination, and the time frame in which they are allowed to submit additional
verification information for review and consideration.
The Fire Chief or designee may request the Department of Human Resources
conduct a written examination for positions within the department. It shall be the
responsibility of the Department of Human Resources to notify applicants of the
written examination results.
Applicants for:
x Fire Captain (Operations)
x Fire Equipment Operator
x Fire/Hazardous Materials Specialist
2000.01 INTERVIEW AND SELECTION
PROCEDURES
Implemented: June 1, 2017 Revised: 090918; 032923, 031425 Next Review: January, 2030
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Shall take a written examination coordinated by the Department of Human
Resources and pass with a score of 70% or higher prior to participating in an
assessment center evaluation. Applicants that pass the written examination will be
placed on the eligible list.
For uniformed positions within the Fire or Ocean Safety position series, the
Education and Experience (E&E) scores shall be computed based on a point
system defined by the department prior to the recruitment and documented in the
recruitment announcement. The E&E scores shall be computed by the Hawai‘i
Fire Department’s Human Resources Program Specialist/Human Resources
Specialist II/I.
Applicants for:
x Fire Rescue Specialist
x Water Safety Officer III
x Water Safety Officer IV
Shall participate in a physical ability exercise in addition to an assessment center
evaluation.
All other applicants for uniformed positions shall participate in an assessment
center evaluation after being placed on an eligible list for that particular
classification.
Applicants for uniformed positions on the eligible list shall be ranked following
the completion of the assessment center evaluation, and the resulting ranked list
shall be valid for one year from its release on July 1st. The lists shall expire on
June 30th of the following year, and shall not be extended. A new promotional
period may be initiated prior to January if the ranked list for a specific position is
exhausted and no candidates remain to promote.
The Department of Human Resources will align expiration of referred lists and
eligible lists for uniformed positions to expire June 30th of the following calendar
year. No lists shall be extended beyond June 30th.
If an applicant who was selected for a promotional opportunity does not
satisfactorily complete the new probationary period, the Fire Chief may use the
ranked list from that promotional period to fill the position.
2000.01 INTERVIEW AND SELECTION
PROCEDURES
Implemented: June 1, 2017 Revised: 090918; 032923, 031425 Next Review: January, 2030
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2. Internal recruitments (non-uniformed positions)
Applications for internal recruitments for non-uniformed positions will be
reviewed by the Department of Human Resources. It shall be the responsibility of
the Department of Human Resources to notify applicants of their application
status.
After the recruitment period ends a referred list shall be generated by the
Department of Human Resources and sent to the Hawai‘i Fire Department’s
Human Resources Program Specialist/Human Resources Specialist II/I or Human
Resources Technician I for completion of the interview and selection process, to
include an assessment center evaluation.
3. Open-competitive recruitment (uniformed positions)
Applications for open-competitive recruitments for uniformed positions will be
reviewed by the Department of Human Resources. It shall be the responsibility of
the Department of Human Resources to notify applicants of their application
status.
After the recruitment period ends a referred list shall be generated by the
Department of Human Resources and sent to the Hawai‘i Fire Department’s
Human Resources Program Specialist/Human Resources Specialist II/I or Human
Resources Technician I for completion of the interview and selection process, to
include an assessment center evaluation.
Applicants for:
x Fire Fighter Recruit
x Fire/EMS Recruit
x Water Safety Officer I
Shall be subject to criminal background and character appraisal checks.
Applicants must meet HFD suitability guidelines. *See Appendix 2.
Suitability checks may also include information on the applicant’s:
x Personal History questionnaire
x Employment history
x Criminal conviction history
x Character references
2000.01 INTERVIEW AND SELECTION
PROCEDURES
Implemented: June 1, 2017 Revised: 090918; 032923, 031425 Next Review: January, 2030
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x Traffic abstract
x School transcripts
x Military records
4. Open-competitive recruitment (non-uniformed positions)
Applications for open-competitive recruitments for non-uniformed positions will
be reviewed by the Department of Human Resources. It shall be the
responsibility of the Department of Human Resources to notify applicants of their
application status.
After the recruitment period ends a referred list shall be generated by the
Department of Human Resources and sent to the Hawai‘i Fire Department’s
Human Resources Program Specialist/Human Resources Specialist II/I or Human
Resources Technician I for completion of the interview and selection process, to
include an assessment center evaluation.
B. Assessment Center
An assessment center evaluation shall be held to fill a vacant position. The
assessment center evaluation shall be used to rate the applicant’s suitability for the
vacant position according to factors related to the job and which can be appraised in
an assessment center evaluation, such as oral communication skills, or other skills or
factors which take longer than a brief orientation to acquire, and which will not be
taught or acquired on the job.
1. Scheduling
The assessment center evaluation should be scheduled during the Hawai‘i Fire
Department Administration’s working hours between 7:45 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.,
Monday to Friday. The Fire Chief may elect to schedule assessment center
evaluations after normal work hours when necessary to accommodate all
applicants. Applicants must appear at their scheduled assessment center
evaluation date and time unless mutually agreed arrangements are made in
advance.
2. Notification and Documentation
Applicants shall be notified of the assessment center evaluation by written
correspondence sent via e-mail, or mail of the date, time, and location of
assessment center evaluation. If the department is unable to reach the
2000.01 INTERVIEW AND SELECTION
PROCEDURES
Implemented: June 1, 2017 Revised: 090918; 032923, 031425 Next Review: January, 2030
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applicant by said measures, notification shall be by letter sent by certified mail
and addressed to the applicant’s last known address with instructions to call
within three (3) working days of receipt of the letter. If the applicant fails to call
or e-mail, the applicant is considered not interested in the position.
The department shall document the applicant’s response, including the date and
time of contact.
If the applicant has no interest in the position, the applicant shall indicate so in
writing to the Fire Chief.
3. Preparation
Preparation for the assessment center evaluation shall include, but not limited to,
the following:
a. Selection of Panel(s) and Panel Chair(s)
The selection of the panel(s) and panel chair(s) shall be made by the Fire
Chief or designee. The panel(s) should include a fair representation of ethnic
groups and gender, to the extent possible. One panel member may be the
immediate supervisor of the position. When higher level or specialized
division positions are being filled and external expertise is required, panel
members may be selected from outside of the County.
When a County employee serves on the panel, his/her job classification should
be equal to or higher than that of the position being filled, unless it is
determined by the Fire Chief that this is not practical.
All panel members shall have attended the County of Hawai‘i’s Conducting
an Effective Interview Training prior to serving on a panel.
b. Position Review
The most current position description (which includes the identification of
essential duties in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act), class
specification, and department’s skill set criteria shall be reviewed by the panel
members to familiarize themselves with the essential functions of the position
and to determine the skills, knowledge, and ability required to perform the
position. Members may also interview the respective
2000.01 INTERVIEW AND SELECTION
PROCEDURES
Implemented: June 1, 2017 Revised: 090918; 032923, 031425 Next Review: January, 2030
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supervisor and former incumbents who performed the same duties to learn more
about the requirements of the position.
c. Interview Questions and/or Exercises
A list of questions and/or exercises and model answers shall be developed by the
Fire Chief or designee to indicate the suitability of the applicant for the position.
Generally, questions should be designed to elicit qualities other than technical
knowledge. Questions should not call for true-false, multiple choice, or one-
worded answers since those types of questions often reward memorization rather
than analytical ability. The Department of Human Resources and the Hawai‘i
Fire Department’s Human Resources Program Specialist/Human Resources
Specialist II/I will provide assistance as requested.
Questions and/or exercises must be reviewed with panel members prior to the first
interview. Guidelines on what may or may not be asked in the interview shall
also be reviewed. Panel members shall read and sign the Interview Panelist
Duties and Responsibilities Acknowledgement Form, Form DHR-RE-703, before
the start of the interview.
4. Conducting an assessment center evaluation
Assessment center evaluations shall be conducted in a manner that ensures that
applicants are evaluated on job-related factors and that they are given equal
opportunity to express or demonstrate their competence to perform the duties of the
vacant position.
a. Assessments shall be facilitated by the panel chair.
b. Each applicant shall be told that notes will be taken during the assessment.
c. Each applicant shall be given an orientation (written or oral) of the duties of the
position.
d. Each applicant shall be afforded the opportunity to clarify, comment, or elaborate
on any information obtained through a suitability check of the applicant’s work
experience, training, or work history.
2000.01 INTERVIEW AND SELECTION
PROCEDURES
Implemented: June 1, 2017 Revised: 090918; 032923, 031425 Next Review: January, 2030
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e. Each applicant shall be informed of the approximate date of selection or non-
selection and method of notification.
5. Findings
Findings shall be recorded by individual panel members after each interview. A
meeting to discuss the findings may be held after all portions of the assessment to
recommend a person(s) to fill the position(s). The panel members shall submit their
findings with a short statement explaining the basis for that recommendation to the
Fire Chief. At the conclusion of the interview process, the Fire Chief or designee
shall collect and secure all materials.
C. Reference Check
The Fire Chief or designee shall obtain the applicant’s permission to conduct the
employment reference check of at least three (3) employers. The applicant shall
complete the Authorization to Release Personnel Information, Form DHR-RE-548. If the
applicant does not provide permission, the selection process for the applicant cannot
continue. In this case, the department shall explain to the applicant the impact of not
providing permission.
A reference check may be conducted via telephone from a list of references,
current/former employers, and other professional references provided by the applicant.
The Pre-Employment Written Reference Check, Form DHR-RE-500, may be used to
conduct the written reference check. The Pre-Employment Telephone Reference Check,
Form DHR-RE-502, may be used to conduct the telephone reference check.
If an applicant has no paid work experience, the department may choose to conduct a
Personal Reference Telephone Reference Check and complete Form DHR-RE-501 to
document the information obtained.
Questions shall be designed to elicit pertinent information relevant to the applicant’s
work performance history and a pattern of problematic behavior and/or job performance
issues.
These score sheets shall be turned into the Fire Chief or designee and shall be retained
with the interview/assessment exercise(s) rating sheets.
2000.01 INTERVIEW AND SELECTION
PROCEDURES
Implemented: June 1, 2017 Revised: 090918; 032923, 031425 Next Review: January, 2030
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D. Fire Chief’s Review
Prior to selection(s), the Fire Chief or designee shall review all findings.
1. The selection(s) shall be based on job-related factors. These factors may include, but
are not limited to, work experience pertinent to the position being filled, training and
experience, performance evaluation(s) (for current employees), specific skills
demonstration, interview scores, reference checks, and the ability to perform the
essential job duties.
2. Seniority shall be considered only where collective bargaining provisions allow for
such consideration for internal recruitments.
3. The Fire Chief shall render a decision to hire or not to hire.
E. Selection and Follow-Up
Upon selection(s), the Fire Chief or designee shall:
1. Contact applicant(s) to make a conditional offer to the selectee(s). If a verbal offer is
made, the department shall follow up with a formal letter. The selectee(s) are required
to complete the Post-Job Offer Affirmation Regarding Performance of Duties, Form
DHR-RE-569.
2. All applicants not selected shall be notified by letter (paper or email). Letters will
notify applicants of the non-selection and will briefly thank them for their interest.
3. For an open-competitive recruitment, the selectee(s) shall be informed that the
conditional job offer is contingent upon his/her passing the County of Hawai‘i pre-
entry medical examination, the County of Hawai‘i pre-entry drug screening, and/or
other required testing, as appropriate for the position. The required testing shall be
scheduled by the Hawai‘i Fire Department’s Human Resources Program
Specialist/Human Resources Specialist II/II. Failure to pass required tests shall result
in the selectee not being hired.
4. For open-competitive and internal recruitments, the Hawai‘i Fire Department’s
Human Resources Technician I or Human Resources Assistant shall record the
selection and non-selection results on the referred list and report the hire(s) prior to
the scheduled start date to the Department of Human Resources.
2000.01 INTERVIEW AND SELECTION
PROCEDURES
Implemented: June 1, 2017 Revised: 090918; 032923, 031425 Next Review: January, 2030
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F. Record Retention
Documentation of the interview and selection process shall be retained for a
minimum of three (3) years in the Hawai‘i Fire Department.
Submitted by:
___________________________ ___________
Fire Chief Date
Approved by:
___________________________ ___________
Director of Human Resources Date
___________________________ ___________
Managing Director Date
y:
____________________________________________________________________3/14/25
03/14/2025_________________________________________
2000.01 INTERVIEW AND SELECTION
PROCEDURES
Implemented: June 1, 2017 Revised: 090918; 032923, 031425 Next Review: January, 2030
14
Appendix 1: Hiring and Promotion Cycle Flow Chart
2000.01 INTERVIEW AND SELECTION
PROCEDURES
Implemented: June 1, 2017 Revised: 090918; 032923, 031425 Next Review: January, 2030
15
Appendix 2: Hawaii Fire Department Suitability Guidelines
These employment guidelines are used by the Hawai`i Fire Department to determine whether an applicant is suitable to hire or
volunteer:
MANDATORY DISQUALIFICATION: (Applicants will be disqualified if any one of the following criteria exists.)
CRIMINAL HISTORY Time Period From
Filing Of Application
(Conviction) Any Felony Offense indicating a propensity for violence, lack of trustworthiness, and/or
deviant sexual behavior such as Murder/Rape/Arson/Burglary [First Degree Only]/Theft [First Degree
Only]/Robbery/Forgery[First Degree Only]/Assault/Terroristic Threatening/Kidnapping/Sexual
Assault/Incest/Child Abuse/Abuse of Family or Household Member
Lifetime (Unsuitable)
DRUGS
(Conviction) Sale/Trade/Distribution of any controlled substance delineated under Schedule I-IV of the Hawai`i
Revised Statutes as amended.
Lifetime
(Unsuitable)
(Conviction) Use of any Controlled Substance delineated under Schedule I-IV of the Hawai`i Revised Statutes as
amended, while a sworn law enforcement or prosecutorial position or in a position of high trust such as school
teacher, emergency responder, nurse, counselor, athletic coach, social worker, prison guard, etc.
Lifetime
(Unsuitable)
TRAFFIC HISTORY
(Conviction) Two (2) or More DUI Offenses Within last 10-years (Unsuitable)
(Conviction) Single DUI Offense Within last 5-years (Unsuitable)
(Conviction) Reckless Driving Offense Within last 5-years (Unsuitable)
(Conviction) Operation of Motor Vehicle while License revoked, surrendered or suspended Within last 5-years (Unsuitable)
UNDESIRABLE TRAITS: (The following criteria, based on the totality of circumstances, may be used in the evaluation and
consideration of all candidates.)
CRIMINAL HISTORY Time Period From Filing
Of Application
(Arrest) Murder Lifetime
(Conviction) Felony Burglary [Second Degree Only], Theft [Second Degree Only], and Forgery
[Second Degree Only]
Within last 5-years
(Conviction) Felony Burglary [Second Degree Only], Theft [Second Degree Only], and Forgery
[Second Degree Only]
Within last 5-years
(Conviction/Arrest/Charge) of any Misdemeanor or Petty Misdemeanor Crime of Violence that
involves injury or threat of injury to the person of another, such as Assault/Abuse Family Household
Member/Terroristic Threatening, etc.
Within last 5-years
(Conviction/Arrest/Charge) of any other misdemeanor/petty misdemeanors offenses. Within last 3-years
(Conviction/Arrest/Charge) Contempt of Court Within last 3-years
DRUGS:
(Conviction/Arrest/Charge) Any Illegal Drug related offenses Lifetime
(Arrest/Charge) Sale/Trade/Distribution any Controlled Substance delineated under Schedule I-IV of
the Hawai`i Revised Statutes as amended.
Lifetime
(Conviction/Arrest/Charge) Excessive use/experimentation of any/or combination of any Controlled
Substance delineated under Schedule I-IV of the Hawai`i Revised Statutes as amended
Lifetime
TRAFFIC HISTORY
(Arrest/Charge) Reckless Driving Within last 3-years
(Conviction/Arrest/Charge) Other Traffic Offenses (i.e. driving without a license, driving with a
suspended/revoked/surrendered license, consumption or possession of intoxicating liquor while
operating vehicle, storage of open container of intoxicating liquor, inattention to driving and operating
a vehicle without proper insurance.)
Within last 3-years
(Arrest/Charge) DUI Offense Within last 3-years
(Citation) Three (3) or more moving violations (i.e. speeding, etc.) and/or parking violations Within last 3-years